Eat French and go Dutch
A name to be reckoned with in the culinary world, Savelberg offers delicious, high-end seasonal cuisine
It’s been three years since Savelberg first opened its doors in Bangkok. Despite the fact that many eateries in the city have unduly claimed links with the Michelin Guide, Savelberg is one of a few establishments that can utterly declare the authorised award of a star. Its chef-patron Henk Savelberg has been granted several Michelin stars since 1982, including for his own restaurant Savelberg in south Holland, which retained one star for 16 years from 1998. In 2014, the Dutch chef made a confident move by making Bangkok his culinary second home.
The City of Angels has since become his hands-on showcase. Guests will always find the star-studded master in the restaurant to make sure the food and service is up to his high standards and as well to help craft seasonal dishes.
Savelberg’s cuisine is dubbed as gourmet, modern French with a touch of Dutch-style natural simplicity.
It’s a perfect unification between the old maestro’s dexterity and awe-inspiring frills from young and super-talented chef de cuisine Rick Dingen, also from the Netherlands.
The menu here is updated regularly. The current one lists nine starters, eight mains and five desserts. Options are from the degustation meal, priced 3,000 baht for four courses, 3,700 baht for six courses and 5,000 baht for eight courses.
Whether the guests settle on the multi-course set or à la carte dishes, a meal here begins with a parade of complimentary bite-sized amuse bouche.
Wonderfully kicking my dinner off were the likes of watermelon with prosciutto; a crispy tuile with foie gras terrine and banana mousse; and a plump pearl of crabmeat and pear purée. All of them were no doubt the creations of true artists and an excellent hint of what was to follow.
Regulars know there are a few dishes here that have been so popular since day one they’ve become permanent on the menu. They include lobster salad, grilled turbot and strained yoghurt dessert.
With each regular dish, although the kitchen has indeed preserved the much-loved recipes and taste-profiles, the presentation is often renewed to always excite your eyes and palate.
The lobster salad (1,300 baht) was an imaginative and hearty exhibition of lobster meat, foie gras, pickled vegetables, olives, yuzu and frisée.
On the plate that mimics the delicateness and tranquility of a Japanese garden, the mild-tasting semi-cooked lobster meat proved nicely matched with the duck liver terrine hidden in a pebble-like shell. Ribbons of pickled radish, carrot and cucumber lent a refreshing crunch to the fare while yuzu honey vinaigrette dressing provided a fruity dash.
Freshly shucked oysters with passion fruit foam, cucumber and red pepper (250 baht per piece), which my friends had, was said to be flawless in terms of flavour and freshness.
An order of mussels and langoustine (1,250 baht), despite being very different, offered a great duo of pleasure, complementing each other beautifully.
In one plate the crustacean and mussels were served warm with chopped radish in frothy butter sauce. While the other featured morsels of the shellfish with garlic and Gruyère cheese on rectangular pieces of thin herbal toast.
The turbot (2,250 baht) retains its high acclaim. A nice thick fillet of the North Sea fish was properly cooked to offer a remarkably springy mouthfeel that revealed a naturally sweet taste. Enhancing the fish were sautéed chanterelle mushrooms, silky potato purée and Epoisses cheese-infused sauce.
OUR CUISINE IS MODERN FRENCH WITH AN INSPIRATION FROM THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE AND PRODUCE OF THE NETHERLANDS Chef-proprietorp Henk Savelbergg and his superp talented chef de cuisine Rick Dingen.
This was the first time I had eaten a lamb dish at Savelberg and it surely won’t be the last.
His roasted lamb fillet with confit potato, green asparagus, peas, Lardo di Colonnata and lamb sauce (1,900 baht) was superb. The lean lamb, cut
in rectangular fillets, was extraordinarily tender and tasty, and went perfectly with the soft thin pieces of pork fat, onionseethed gravy and vegetable accompaniments.
Should you be in the mood for poultry, try Label Rouge chicken with white beans, tomato jelly, Parmesan and tarragon sauce (1,700 baht), a scrumptious showcase of sous-vide chicken fillet with its crispy paper-thin skin and aromatic soothing cheese sauce.
Our sharing choice of dessert was listed on the menu as cherry, chocolate, hazelnut, lime, balsamic and mint (600 baht). It was truly enjoyable (I remembered it because nothing on the table that evening was less than delightful), yet not memorable.
I found myself, on the other hand, overwhelmed with gastronomic joy when a complimentary pre-dessert of strained yoghurt with rhubarb, raspberries and vanilla cast its charm as usual in my mouth. An à la carte serving of this delicious half-yoghurt, half-granita delicacy can also be ordered from the menu at 600 baht.
The restaurant’s glass-façade main dining room seats 60 guests. There are also two private rooms to accommodate groups of 10 and 25 respectively.